Democrats poised to end GOP court filibuster

WASHINGTON 
Democrats were poised Tuesday to end a Senate filibuster against a controversial appeals court nominee and show Republicans they can't stop President Barack Obama from turning the federal judiciary to the left.

Democrats, with a bit of Republican help, are expected to exceed the 60 votes needed to limit debate on U.S. District Judge David Hamilton, assuring his confirmation to the Chicago-based appeals court by a simple majority of the 100-member Senate.

The vote fires a political shot over the GOP's bow: You don't have the votes to prevent Obama from remaking a federal judiciary that for the past eight years was filled with conservative judges chosen by George W. Bush.

Republicans have objected to holding a vote on Hamilton's confirmation since June, when the Judiciary Committee reported his nomination favorably to the full Senate.

Conservative Republican senators and their judicial-watching outside groups then launched a major political assault on Hamilton.

They criticized his rulings against Christian prayers in the Indiana legislature and against a menorah in the Indiana Municipal Building's holiday display.

Conservatives were furious that Hamilton struck down part of an Indiana law requiring women to make two trips to a clinic before they could get an abortion. He said the requirement placed an undue burden on a woman's constitutional right to choose to end a pregnancy.

Beyond the political message, the filibuster effectively ended a bipartisan accord reached in 2005, when 14 senators signed onto a deal that effectively stopped Democratic filibusters of Bush's judicial nominees except in extraordinary circumstances.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., who led the opposition to Hamilton, argued that Hamilton's record met his definition of extraordinary circumstances.

Hamilton's confirmation by itself will not have a large political effect. The 7th Circuit appellate court, which serves, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin, has seven judges nominated by Republican presidents – while Hamilton would be the fourth chosen by a Democrat.

Last week, the Senate confirmed U.S. District Judge Andre Davis of Baltimore for the appeals court based in Richmond, Va., giving Democratic nominees a 6-5 edge on the 4th Circuit that once was a conservative legal bastion.

Other appellate courts are close to a political turnaround.

–The New York-based 2nd Circuit, with 13 seats, currently has five Republican-nominated judges, four Democrats and four vacancies. One nominee for a vacancy is pending.

–The 3rd Circuit, centered in Philadelphia, has 14 seats and is evenly divided politically, six and six. Obama nominees in the pipeline would fill the two open seats.

–The Boston-based 1st Circuit has six seats, with three Republican and two Democratic-nominated judges. Obama has made a nomination for the vacancy.

Obama also could have a second Supreme Court nominee if Justice John Paul Stevens, 89, decides to retire after the current term.

Obama, however, has been much slower than Bush in sending the Senate nominees to fill court vacancies.

By Nov. 16, 2001, Bush – in his first year as president – made 64 nominations to the district and appellate courts. Obama has made 26, according to figures compiled by the liberal Alliance For Justice.